white



(No Model.)

M. W. WHITE.

TAIL PIECE FASTBNER FOR VIOLINS.

No. 402,118. Patented Apr. 23, 1889.

Whigs/7;? 76m 4 g, \jf a/fi/ wwrwe law/100,456

f W 9 I a7 figs UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEIcE.

MAURICE \Y. WHITE, OF BUTTON, MASSAGEUSETTS, ASSIGXOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE ROSS, OF SAME PLACE.

TAIL-PIECE FASTENER FOR VlOLlNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,118, dated April 23, 1889.

Application filed eptemher 14, 1888. Serial No. 285,391. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAURICE W. WHITE, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Tail Piece Fasteners for Stringed Instru ments, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to provide a novel fastener for the tail-pieces of violins and other stringed instruments, and also to provide a suitable support for a chin-rest, which shall be free from contact with any of the vibratory portions or parts of the instrument.

In accordance with this invention the usual butt-block, through which the peg passes, is formed integral with a block which serves as the chin rest support. A hole is formed through the one-piece chin-rest support and butt-bloek, and two grooves are formed therein. A suitable cord. or string is passed through holes formed in the tail-piece, the free ends of which are then passed through the hole formed through the chin-rest supportand butt-block. A pin is pressed into the hole formed in the chin-rest support and. buttblock, which holds the free ends of the string or cord firmly in place in the grooves. The ends of the string or cord will be knotted.

Figure 1 shows in plan view a tail-piece fastener embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a vertical. section of the device shown in Fig. 1, taken on the dotted line :0 r; and Fig. 3, an end view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

The butt-block a, of usual. shape and size, has formed integral with it a block, Z), which serves as a chin-rest support, as well as the abutment over which the tail-piece string or cord passes. A groove or passage, as 2, is formed. thr ugh the blocks a 7 which. receives the material of the body of the instrument, so that the block a will. be contained. within the instrument and. the block exposed. The tailpiece is cut away upon. its under side, as at 3, (see Fig. 2 and dotted lines, Fig. 1,) and. two holes are formed in the tailpiece, eX- tending from the lower end thereof into the opening 3. The free ends 6 T of the cord. or

string (see dotted line, Fig. 1) are passed through the holes in the tail-piece, forming a loop like end, by which the tail piece is held. The free ends 0 7 are then carried over the top of the chin-rest support or block I),

entering a slotted or cut-away portion, 8, thereof, and thence passed through a hole formed through the blocks 1) a, as best shown in Fig. The ends of the string or cord are knotted. A pin, (,7, is pressed into the hole formed through the chin-rest support or block I) and the butt-block a, which holds the ends of the string or cord firmly in grooves formed within the blocks communicating with the hole, thereby preventing the said string or cord from slipping or being withdrawn, even when very considerable strain is put upon it. The block Z) is made sutficiently high, so that the string or cord passing over itwill not come in contact with the body of: the instrument, to thereby in any way affect its vibratory action. The chin-rest, which is shown as a flat plate, 6, is secured by screws or other suitable fastenings to the top of the china-est support I); but it is obvious that the same may be omit.- tcd, ii desired.

It will be seen that by the construct-ion herein shown the body of the instrument is free from contact with anything tending to aitect its vibratory action.

It has heretofore been customary to loop the string or cord over a peg and to attach its free ends to the tail-piece; but with this old form the tail piece oftentimes becomes detached, while with the present device the free ends are attached to the butt-block, the tailpiece being hcld. by the looped end; and, furthermore, the peg (1 serves as an additional fastening, so that there will be very little liability of the string or cord being withdrawn.

It is obvious that the peculiar fastening herein shown. may be applied to old instruments by simply grooving the butt-bloek a and plaein the free ends of the tail-piece i string in the grooves and. the looped, end. in the tail.pi ce.

ll. The butt-block (i and block 1), formed in one piece and having the hole through it, and the grooves, as described, combined with the pin (Z and the tail-piece string or cord, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The butt-block a and chin-rest support or block b, said block 19 extending upward above the level of the body of the instrument, combined with the tail-piece string or cord drawing over the top of the said block 1), free from contact with the body of the instrument,

and the fastening for the said tail-piece string or cord, substantially as described.

3. The butt-block a and chin-rest support or block b and the tail-piece string or cord, combined with the tail-piece having an opening, 3, and two holes through which the tailpiece string or cord passes, substantially as described. 1

' 4. The butt-block a and block b and tailpiece c, combined with the tail-piece string or cord, the free ends of which form a connection with the block b and the looped end with the tail-piece, substantially as described.

5. The butt-block a, the block 1), extending upward above the level of the body of the instrument and over which the tail-piece string or cord passes, said blocks having a hole formed therethrough, and grooves which receive the ends of the tail-piece string or cord, and the pin (Z, combined with the chin-rest support 6, all substantially as described.

6. A fastener for the tail-pieces of stringed instruments, it consisting of the butt-block at, having a hole through it and grooved, as shown, the string or cord, the looped end of which is connected with the tail-piece and the free ends of which enter the grooves in the butt-block, and the pin d, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MAURICE XV. WVHITE.

Witnesses:

BERNICE J. NoYEs, HOWARD F. EATON. 

